Agenda and minutes

Alison Michalska

Glen O’Connell

None

The Board confirmed the minutes of the meeting held on 19 January 2016 as a correct record and they were signed by the Chair.

Report of Portfolio Holder for Energy and Sustainability

The Board considered the Portfolio Holder for Energy and Sustainability’s report detailing the proposals to create a Joint Service Centre (JSC) in the Dales ward by extending and refurbishing the existing Sneinton Police station. It will include a new modern library and will facilitate the release of existing library buildings in Sneinton and Bakersfield.

The new JSC will:

·  provide a single point of access for a wide range of Council services;

·  include free phones/police phones, meeting and interview rooms;

·  maintain the network of community libraries, providing modern library facilities with improved IT, including free WiFi and self-serve facilities;

·  secure a local Police presence in the neighbourhood;

·  facilitates the rationalisation and disposal of Council buildings that reduced the maintenance liability of the Council, and better manages the public estate;

·  provide an easy to access location which is on a main bus route, and is close to a children’s centre, youth club, health centre and main shopping district;

·  improve local employment opportunities during the construction phase.

RESOLVED to

(1)  approve the allocation of funding totalling £1.065m, as set out in the Business Case at exempt Appendix 1 of the report, for the redevelopment and extension of the existing Sneinton Police station into a JSC;

(2)  approve the procurement of the redevelopment work through the EMPA framework, as set out in the Business Case at exempt Appendix 1 of the report, and delegate authority to the Director of Sport and Culture, in consultation with the Corporate Director for Commercial and Operations, and Corporate Director for Resilience, to enter into contract to deliver the works, subject to the project being within the agreed budget figure;

(3)  approve the allocation of funding, as set out in the Business Case at exempt Appendix 1 of the report, for internal project management resource and internal design services related to the project, and note that the internal design team will also procure and manage external consultants for mechanical, electrical and lift design, due to the absence of in-house resources;

(4)  approve the allocation of funding for procurement of furniture, equipment, communications and marketing, an services in support of the project, and delegate authority to the Director of Sport and Culture, in consultation with the Corporate Director for Commercial and Operations, to sign the relevant contracts following the tender processes;

(5)  declare Sneinton Library and Bakersfield Library surplus, and approve that the residual revenue be used to fund the proposed JSC following the relocation of the library services into Sneinton Police station.

Reasons for decision

The JSC facilitates the release of the current library premises to improve customer satisfaction and value for money through the efficient and effective sharing and use of the public estate.

It will provide:

·  a simplified way for customers to access and use Council services;

·  an enhanced accessible library service, and improved customer access facilities;

·  potential longer library opening hours;

·  modern facilities, including free WiFi;

·  the convenience of having several services and agencies located in one place.

Co-location supports the Council’s Strategic Asset Management Programme and One Public Estate Initiative that includes the ambition to transform the operational property estate through investment and disinvestment in facilities.

The Council and Police share a commitment to safeguarding the presence of neighbourhood policing and community protection within the ward, and this proposal allows Community Protection Officers to continue working side by side with police officers.

Other options considered

The four options considered and analysed are contained within the Business Case at exempt Appendix 1 of the report.

The Board considered the Portfolio Holder for Schools’ report setting out the proposed admission arrangements for the 2017/18 school year for community schools, which are the same as those approved for the 2016/17 school year, to ensure fair access to school places and give priority to local children.

RESOLVED to approve the Local Authority’s proposed admission arrangements for 2017/18 school year for community schools, as set out in Appendix 1 of the report, which are unchanged from those approved for the 2016/17 school year.

Reasons for decision

Maintaining the 2016/17 admission arrangements will enable the Local Authority to monitor the operation of the changes that were made to the 2015/16 and 2016/17 arrangements, along with the arrangements of all admission authorities, including those newly formed academies, on order to make any changes for subsequent years on an informed basis.

Other options considered

No other options were considered in order to allow the monitoring detailed above to take place.

Report of Portfolio Holder for Resources and Neighbourhood Regeneration

The Board considered the Deputy Leader/Portfolio Holder for Resources and Neighbourhood Regeneration’s report setting out the Treasury Management and Investment strategies for 2016/17, including the debt repayment strategy, and the associated Prudential Indicators.

RESOLVED to endorse, and recommend for approval by the City Council at its meeting on 7 March 2016, the overall Treasury Management Strategy for 2016/17, detailed in Appendix 1 of the report, and, in particular:

(a)  the strategy for debt repayment (Minimum Revenue Provision) in 2016/17, detailed in Appendix 4 of the report;

(b)  the Investment Strategy for 2016/17, detailed in Appendix 1 of the report;

(c)  the Prudential Indicators and limits for 2015/16 to 2018/19, detailed in Appendix 3 of the report;

(d)  the current Treasury Management Policy Statement, detailed in Appendix 5 of the report.

Reasons for decision

Approval of a Treasury Management Strategy is a legal requirement to comply with:

·  Financial Regulations and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) Code of Practice on Treasury Management by submitting a policy and strategy statement for the ensuing financial year;

·  guidance issued by the Secretary of State under section 15(1)(a) of the Local Government Act 2003 in approving (at City Council) an Annual Investment Strategy before 1 April;

·  guidance issued by the Secretary of State under the Local Authorities (Capital Finance and Accounting)(England)(Amendment) Regulations 2088 which required the preparation of an annual statement of the Council’s policy on making a Minimum Revenue Provision for the repayment of debt.

Other options considered

No other options were considered as the approval of a Treasury Management Strategy is a legal requirement.

This decision is not subject to call-in as Councillor Brian Parbutt, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, has agreed that the decision is reasonable in all the circumstances and should be treated as a matter of urgency as the budget has to be approved at the Full Council meeting on 7 March 2016, and the report despatch date is before the call-in period has ended.

The Board considered the Deputy Leader/Portfolio Holder for Resources and Neighbourhood Regeneration’s report presenting the Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) for 2016/17-2019/20, comprising the General Fund revenue budget, the General Fund capital programme, the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) revenue budget, and the HRA capital programme.

The report also details consultation responses to the proposals.

RESOLVED

(1)  in relation to the 2015/16 budget, detailed in Annex 1 of the report, to:

(a)  note the current forecast outturn for the 2015/16 General Fund and HRA revenue budgets and capital programmes;

(b)  endorse the allocations from contingency, detailed in Table 1D of Annex 1;

(c)  approve the budget virements and reserve movements, detailed in Table 3 and Appendices B and C of Annex 1;

(2)  in relation to the MTFP 2016/17-2019/20 revenue element, detailed in Annex 2 of the report, to:

(a)  note:

(i)  the General Fund revenue aspects of the MTFP;

(ii)  that, at the time of publication of the report, the Fire Authority had not formally approved their final Council Tax increases, and that the final precepts will be confirmed prior to the City Council meeting on 7 March 2016;

(b)  note, endorse and recommend to City Council:

(i)  the General Fund net budget requirement for 2016/17 of £243.878m, including the net movement in earmarked reserves, detailed in Appendix A of Annex 2;

(ii)  a basic amount of Council Tax level (Band D) of £1,517.32, that will raise a total of £94.212m (an increase of 3.95%);

(iii)  to delegate authority to the appropriate Director to implement all proposals after undertaking any necessary consultation;

(3)  in relation to the MTFP 2016/17-2020/21 capital programme element, detailed in Annex 3 of the report, to note, endorse and recommend to City Council:

(a)  the capital programme, detailed in Appendix D of Annex 3;

(b)  the additional key principal for the governance and management of the capital programme, detailed in section 5 and section 8 of Annex 3;

(c)  the extension of the rolling programmes, detailed in Table 3 of Annex 3;

(d)  the revised Local Transport Programme, detailed in Appendix C of Annex 3;

(4)  in relation to the MTFP 2016/17-2019/20 HRA element, detailed in Annex 4 of the report, to:

(a)  note policy changes affecting social housing through the Welfare Reform & Work Bill that is expected to be passed into law before April 2016. The changes will impact on the HRA’s financial sustainability and include:

(i)  reduction of social housing rents by 1% for four years from April;

(ii)  enhanced Right to Buy (RTB) criteria and increased RTB sales;

(iii)  retention of 1-4-1 receipts from RTB sales;

(iv)  compulsory sale of high value properties;

(v)  changes to housing benefit eligibility including ‘Pay to Stay’;

(vi)  abolition of assured tenancies;

(b)    approve the:

(i)  proposed rent decrease of 1.0% for 2016/17;

(ii)  continuation of the tenant incentive scheme, worth up to £100 per annum to each tenant;

(iii)  increased service charge of 2.2%;

(iv)  sustainable working balance of £4m;

(v)  delegation of authority to Nottingham City Homes (NCH) to award capital contracts up to the value of the scheme/programme, detailed in Appendix B of Annex 4;

(c)  note, endorse and recommend to City Council the 2016/17 HRA budget;

(5)  to note and endorse the recommendations of the Chief Finance Officer in respect of the robustness of the estimates made for the purposes of all aspects of the budget calculations and the adequacy of reserves, detailed in Annex 5 of the report;

(6)  to note the outcomes of the budget consultation and communications, detailed in Annex 6 of the report;

(7)  to delegate authority to the Strategic Director of Finance, in consultation with the Deputy Leader/Portfolio Holder for Resources and Neighbourhood Regeneration, to finalise the MTFP for publication following approval of the relevant elements of the budget by City Council.

Reasons for decisions

To enable the Executive Board to approve rent reductions and make recommendations to City Council for consideration on 7 March 2016 when it meets to set the budget and Council Tax for 2016/17.

Other options considered

Throughout the budget process a large number of individual cost reduction, income levels and investment options are considered, which impacts on the level of reserves. It is a complex process with many iterations and possibilities too numerous to present as discrete options.

Urgent Report of Portfolio Holder for Schools

The Board considered the Portfolio Holder for Schools’ report proposing to close the Beckhampton Centre at the end of the 2015/16 academic year as numbers on roll at the Centre have reduced significantly and it is no longer financially sustainable. This is because Nottingham City schools are meeting their obligations with regard to pregnancy, and are supporting pregnant teenagers/teenage parents of school age within mainstream establishments.

RESOLVED to

(1)  approve the closure of the Beckhampton Centre (Pupil Referral Unit);

(2)  review provision for the small number of City resident vulnerable pregnant teenagers/teenage parents where mainstream school is not the most effective provision.

Reasons for decisions

A public consultation was held on the proposal to close the Beckhampton Centre as a result of reducing numbers resulting in the decrease in value for money. Although there were a number of objections to the closure, these have been balanced against the sustainability of the current provision and the financial pressures of the High Level Needs Dedicated Schools Grant, and the number of comments in support of the proposal.

There will be appropriate provision in place for those who cannot remain in mainstream school, as detailed in Appendix 2 of the report. Support from the Family Nurse Partnership and Teenage Pregnancy Midwifery Service will be made within the individual educational plan for all the needs of the young person, in the same way that provision is made for those remaining in their schools whilst pregnant and as mothers.

Other options considered

Keeping the Beckhampton Centre open was rejected as it is not financially viable or sustainable.

Closing the Beckhampton Centre with no additional contingencies in place was rejected as, although it supports the financial pressures, it does not address the needs of a small number of city resident vulnerable pregnant teenagers/teenage parents where mainstream school is not the most effective provision.

To consider excluding the public from the meeting during consideration of the remaining item(s) in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the basis that, having regard to all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs in the public interest in disclosing the information

RESOLVED to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the remaining item in accordance with section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the basis that, having regard to all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

The Board considered the exempt appendices to the Portfolio Holder for Energy and Sustainability’s report.

RESOLVED to note the information contained within the exempt appendices.

Reasons for decisions

As detailed in minute 79.

Other options considered

As detailed in minute 79.

The Board considered the exempt appendices to the Portfolio Holder for Schools’ report.

RESOLVED to note the information contained within the exempt appendices.

Reasons for decisions

As detailed in minute 83.

Other options considered

As detailed in minute 83.